Mantra 11

Sukta 10

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

अपश्यं गोपामनिपद्यमानमा च परा च पथिभिश्चरन्तम्। ससध्रीचीः स विषूचीर्वसान आ वरीवर्ति भुवनेष्वन्तः

IAST Transliteration

ápāśyaṃ gopā́m anipádyamānam ā́ ca párā ca pathíbhiś cárantam | sasadhrī́cīḥ sá viṣū́cīr vásāna ā́ varīvarti bhúvaneṣv antáḥ ||

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

I beheld the Herdsman, never sinking down, who goeth on the paths both hitherward and far away. Wearing his straight-going and his cross-going courses, within the worlds he rolleth ever to and fro.

Translation

Ich erblickte den Hirten, der niemals niedersinkt, der auf den Wegen sowohl hierher als auch weithin geht. Seine geraden und seine querlaufenden Bahnen tragend, wälzt er sich in den Welten drinnen unablässig hin und her.

Word by Word

अपश्यम्I saw

गोपाम्the herdsman/guardian

अनिपद्यमानम्not falling down; not stumbling

आtowards; hither

चand

पराaway; yonder

चand

पथिभिःby/along the paths

चरन्तम्moving; roaming

ससध्रीचीःconverging/meeting together (directions/lines)

सhe

विषूचीःdiverging; going in different directions

वसानःwearing; clothed (with)

आtowards; unto

वरीवर्तिmoves about freely / makes room (for itself)

भुवनेषुin the worlds/realms

अन्तःwithin; inside

Attribution

Rishi: Traditionally attributed within AV 9 as speculative seers (often Angiras/Atharvanic attribution in anukramaṇī traditions; exact r̥ṣi assignment depends on the AV anukramaṇī).

Devata: Gopā (cosmic guardian; interpreted as Sūrya/Brahman).

Chandas: Triṣṭubh-like cadence (as transmitted; metrical classification varies by pada-count and edition).

Mantra Rasa

{"primary_rasa":"adbhuta","secondary_rasa":"shanta","emotional_arc":"Wonder at the vision → settling into trust and calm.","listener_experience":"Awe that becomes reassurance; sense of being watched over.","intensity":5}